NORTH STATE MARIJUANA HOT SPOTS' COULD DRAW FOREST SERVICE DRONES

A pair of 5-pound pilotless drones could be buzzing the north state
this summer in search of illicit marijuana gardens, a forest law
enforcement official said Friday.

"Since the Shasta-Trinity (National Forest) is one of our hot spots,
it's a likely target," said Ron Pugh, special agent in charge of the
U.S. Forest Service's southwestern region.

But he said officials hadn't identified exactly where the drones,
which are being stored in Montana, will be used. The Forest Service
purchased two drones for a combined $100,000 from La Verne-based
Octatron to aid in the search for marijuana gardens, according to The
Associated Press.

During a three-week blitz by local, state and federal law enforcement
agencies on illegal pot gardens in Shasta County last summer --
dubbed Operation Alesia -- 177,757, or 63 percent, of the 283,397
plants pulled were on national forest land.

Law enforcement officers regularly use planes and helicopters to
scout for gardens, Pugh said, which can be a dangerous endeavor if
those tending the gardens are armed and volley shots skyward.

He said the planes and helicopters usually fly 500 to 1,000 feet
above the gardens.

The camera-carrying drones may be able to fly as close as 100 feet
above the gardens, sending back images of the grows to law
enforcement officers, Pugh said. He said he's just becoming familiar
with drone technology. He likened the controls to radio-controlled
airplanes and said some of his officers are set for training.

Although he said he doesn't know where the drones will be stationed,
Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said they'd be a welcome addition
to the fight against illegal marijuana grows in the county.

He said the drones cost less to operate than conventional aircraft,
are quieter and don't require as much technical skill to operate.

"If they crash, you don't have the loss of life," Bosenko said.